


Ink

by thraxbaby



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:54:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29547540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thraxbaby/pseuds/thraxbaby
Summary: Gender nonspecific MC made a special ink.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	Ink

Muriel heard approaching footsteps and set down his axe. Asra entered the clearing with the apprentice following closely behind, their nose buried in a small book. 

"Hey, Muri!" Asra greeted. Muriel grunted a greeting, peering at the apprentice who was now being covered in kisses by Inanna, her paws up on their shoulders. MC was clearly struggling to stay standing, but laughed at the kisses, anyway. 

"Nana, we talked about this." Muriel said to the wolf. She looked at him, then plopped her paws back on the ground. 

"It's okay. I appreciate the attention." MC replied with a smile. It was then Muriel noticed the ink stain on their cheek. And shirt. And hands. They looked like they splattered ink and tried wiping it away, only to make it worse. 

"Is that ink?" he asked and their eyes lit up. 

"Yeah. I've been working on something new. It's special ink. It- you know what? Can I just show you?" they asked. Muriel glanced to Asra. Asra nodded and gave him a thumbs-up, his hand stained with ink as well. Muriel sighed, then nodded. 

"Fine."

"Okay, I need someplace to sit." 

They ended up at Muriel's table. MC pulled out a thin paintbrush and two small pots of ink. 

"Your hand, please?" MC requested with their palm out. Muriel set his hand into theirs, trying to suppress the rising heat in his cheeks. They held his hand gently, dipped the brush into the first ink pot, then carefully painted it onto his skin. Delicate lines soon became vines and leaves, swirling across the back of his hand. It was interesting to watch. It reminded him of the days when he would watch Asra paint the masquerade masks he made. Asra could do wonders with the little paint they had. Muriel wasn't creative like that. He carved wood, not painted. 

Meanwhile, MC had finished the design and pulled out a hand fan and fluttered it, drying the ink on his skin. They licked their fingertips and wiped away the ink from the brush, explaining the ink staining their hands, and dipped the brush into the second ink pot. This ink looked more iridescent than the previous black ink. 

"Now here's the cool part." MC said. They merely tapped the drop of rainbow ink onto the black ink. It spread like oil across the black ink, shimmering like sun shining on the river in summer. The ink then changed colors, turning the black ink into a deep sparkling green. The shimmering effect coalesced together in certain points, condensing to create little blue forget-me-nots that looked so real, he felt he could reach out and touch the soft petals. 

"What do you think?" MC asked. 

"It's beautiful." he replied honestly. "How long does it last?" 

"Just until you wipe it off with water." they answered. "I'm thinking if I make enough, I could offer face painting at the next masquerade." 

"They'll love it." Muriel said. MC smiled gratefully. 

"Thank you. I think it could also be used for stationary. Imagine, getting a love letter and the paper blooms like spring? It'd be so romantic!" Muriel answered with a noncommittal noise. He left MC to gush over the possible uses, what to call it, etc., by stating he had to feed the chickens. As soon as he stepped outside, he looked at his hand again. The flowers were still there. He flexed his hand, looking at it this way and that. It truly looked like flowers had bloomed right out of his skin, though he felt nothing but the subtle tingle of magic. 

They'd done an amazing job.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments appreciated!


End file.
